Lamberto Bava
Directing
Biography
Lamberto Bava was born in Rome, Italy, and was the first of a third generation of Italian filmmakers. His grandfather, Eugenio Bava (1886-1966), was a cameraman and optics effects artist during the early days of Italian silent cinema. His father, Mario Bava (1914-1980), was a legendary cinematographer, special effects designer and director. Lamberto entered the cinema as his father's personal assistant, starting with "Planet of the Vampires" (1965). Bit by bit he gained experience from his father, who made him the assistant director for most of the rest of his films. He even co-wrote the screenplay for "Shock" (1977), Mario's last theatrical film where, in poor health during the shoot, Mario often feigned illness so Lamberto could direct a few scenes, uncredited, to gain further experience. Both Lamberto and Mario directed the made-for-TV drama "I giochi del diavolo: La Venere d'Ille" (1979). Both worked on the Dario Argento horror flick "Inferno" (1980), for which Mario designed some of the color set pieces, including the underwater ballroom, and created all the visual special effects, while Lamberto worked as Argento's assistant director. Late in 1979 Lamberto made his solo directorial debut with "Macabre" (1980), a tense drama-horror flick loosely based on a 1977 incident in New Orleans about a woman who keeps her lover's severed head in her freezer. According to Lamberto, the project started by chance when producer Pupi Avati approached him to direct as well as write the screenplay, which took just six weeks to write and direct. "Macabre" was released in Italy in February 1980 to mixed reviews, but won him recognition by his father Mario. Just two months later Mario Bava died, and an era in Italian film making came to a close. "Macabre" was not a box-office hit and, as a result, Lamberto went back to assistant directing. He worked with Dario Argento again in 1982 with "Tenebrae" (1982). In 1983 Lamberto was offered the opportunity to direct another film, titled "A Blade in the Dark" (1983), which was a violent mystery thriller shot in only three weeks on a tight budget and filmed almost entirely in a producer friend's house. Next he directed the action-flick "Blastfighter" (1984), which was filmed in the state of Georgia, and immediately afterwards directed the "Jaws" (1975)-like thriller "Devil Fish" (1984), which was shot in Florida. On both films Lamberto was purely a director for hire and had nothing to do with the script or production end. He used the pseudonym of 'John Old Jr.' for this latter film, which was a tribute to his father Mario, who often used the pseudonym 'John M. Old'. He enjoyed his best commercial success to date with "Demons" (1985), produced by Dario Argento, co-written by Dardano Sacchetti and filmed in West Berlin. This film's international success allowed him to co-write, produce and direct a sequel, "Demons 2" (1986). Lamberto returned to giallo thrillers with "Delirium" (1987). In the late 1980s the Italian cinema turned moribund. Lamberto, like most of his colleagues, turned to making films for Italian television. He also directed a remake of his father's "Black Sunday" (1960), which was titled "La maschera del demonio" (1990). Nowadays Lamberto Bava continues to divide his time between TV work and a few movies, acknowledging his inspiration from his late father, Mario.
Known For
A New York University professor returns from a rescue mission to the Amazon rainforest with the footage shot by a lost team of documentarians who were making a film about the area's local cannibal tribes.
Cannibal Holocaust
Coliandro is an inspector serving at the Bologna police headquarters who constantly finds himself embroiled, against his will, in matters bigger than himself. But Coliandro never backs down, even though his carelessness and investigative incompetence inevitably land him in trouble.
Inspector Coliandro
The king desires nothing more than a male heir. But his wife gives birth to a girl Fantaghirò. When she refuses to marry years later, she is sent in the forest where she learns how to ride and fight like a man. She appears disguised in a duel with Prince Romualdo, the son of her father's adversary. Both fall in love, but their marriage brings no peace to the united kingdom. Evil forces are trying to seize power.
The Cave of the Golden Rose
A group of people are trapped in a West Berlin movie theater infested with ravenous demons who proceed to kill and possess the humans one-by-one, thereby multiplying their numbers.
Demons
A razor-wielding serial killer is on the loose, murdering those around Peter Neal, an American mystery author in Italy to promote his newest novel.
Tenebre
An elderly heiress is killed by her husband who wants control of her fortunes. What ensues is an all-out murder spree as relatives and friends attempt to reduce the inheritance playing field, complicated by some teenagers who decide to camp out in a dilapidated building on the estate.
A Bay of Blood
Documentary on Italian genre cinema.
Italian Kings Of B
A young man returns from Rome to his sister's satanic New York apartment house.
Inferno
Exploring perspectives on witches from different angles, ranging from historical accounts to popular folklore, shedding light on the complex narratives surrounding these notorious figures.
Sabbath
A trio of taxi drivers working the night shift investigate a series of bizarre murders, kidnappings, and disappearances. Along the way, they keep encountering a mysterious glowing car known as the phantom taxi.
Night Shift
No description available.
6 passi nel giallo
Gioia is a buxom centerfold working for Pussycat magazine. In such a profession, having an admirer or two is expected, but Gioia's admirer is a vicious killer! He murders her fellow magazine models one at a time, using a variety of twisted implements of death. Gioia is the lucky recipient of a collection of photos, each with murdered bodies arranged around posters of her.
Delirium: Photo of Gioia
A group of tenants and visitors are trapped in a 10-story high-rise apartment building infested with demons who proceed to hunt the dwindling humans down.
Demons 2
Lisa is a tourist in an ancient city. When she gets lost, she finds an old mansion in which to shelter. Soon she is sucked into a vortex of deception, debauchery and evil presided over by housekeeper Leandre.
Lisa and the Devil
Diego is a troubled runaway who tries to make something out of himself by joining a swimming team and competing in national tryouts and champion races which takes a turn when he is struck by a terminal illness and attempts to find a way to beat it.
Last Feelings
No description available.
La principessa e il povero
Two brothers fell in love with the same woman, who was nearly killed by one of them in an accident. After the two men parted in anger, they meet years later when one is a famous pirate and the other one is a soldier who needs to hunt him down...
Pirates: Blood Brothers
A young couple become embroiled with the personal problems of another couple on a yacht moored off Sicily during a turbulent weekend of fun, games, sex games, betrayal, spouse abuse, and murder.
Waves of Lust
A story about the devil's influence on five people's lives in 20th-century Venice.
The Devil's Game
An Italian miniseries about Desideria, the dragon king's daughter and Selvaggia, her adopted and magical sister. To get the dragon ring after the death of her father, Desideria needs to marry, but she can't find a husband, so Selvaggia sees her chance to get the ring with all its powers.